Raw Intel

The United States Air Force has ended the operational presence of the UH-1N Huey at Yokota Air Base in Japan, marking the conclusion of more than four decades of continuous rotary-wing operations across the Pacific theater. On December 3, 2025, Airmen from the 730th Air Mobility Squadron and the 22nd Airlift Squadron at Travis Air […]View the full article

Americas The US military’s effort to speed up how it builds and replaces vehicle parts is getting a high-tech lift thanks to a new $9-million research lab in Illinois. Announced Monday by the Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the facility will focus on developing advanced 3D-printing techniques, specifically for large metal components used in military ground vehicles. Northrop Grumman System won a $20.4 million contract for the production and delivery of 63 H1- technical refresh mission computers (TRMCs) and 28 TRMC trays for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers to include 33 TRMCs and 28 trays in support of the Nigeria AH-1…

China has reached a new threshold in its fifth-generation fighter program, confirming the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) now fields at least 300 Chengdu J-20 stealth aircraft. The expansion underscores Beijing’s rapid pace in deploying advanced combat aircraft and places China second only to the United States in operational fifth-generation fleets. The confirmation came […] The post China closes gap with U.S. in fifth-gen fighter race first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

China has presented a new hybrid vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) concept aircraft, dubbed the 6T H-VTOL, during the 7th China Helicopter Exposition in Tianjin, which concluded on Sunday. The aircraft was developed with high-altitude operational demands in mind and is being positioned as a future platform for logistics and utility missions in remote or […] The post China debuts hybrid tilt-rotor at Tianjin expo first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

“The difference, of course, between the debate over the nature of thermonuclear war and previous such debates is that it remains hypothetical. And unless we want to bet everything on the optimist, that is what it will always be. For if we lost this bet, and the pessimist turned out to be right, a thermonuclear war will have destroyed the human race, and along with it things like discourse and memory. The debate would remain forever unresolved, because those pessimists proven right, along with those optimists proven wrong, would all be dead.” —Campbell Craig, Destroying the Village The Israeli-American attack on the Iranian has for now at least, brought the topic of the t…

Americas The Pentagon has once again grounded its entire fleet of V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. This comes after a worrying incident at Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico on November 20, where a CV-22 Osprey experienced a near-crash shortly after takeoff. Initial investigations suggest that weakened metal components in a critical part may have been a contributing factor. The decision to pause all Osprey flights came as a recommendation from Vice Adm. Carl Chebi, the head of Naval Air Systems Command, which oversees the Osprey program for the military. This incident bears a striking resemblance to a fatal crash off the coast of Japan in November of the previous year. In…

INKAS has officially presented its new M1 Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected (MRAP) vehicle at Milipol Paris 2025, marking what the company described as a major step in its evolution as a defense manufacturer. The unveiling showcased a platform developed over years of research, engineering, and testing, created in collaboration with the French firm Texelis. According to the […]View the full article

The U.S. Marine Corps is increasing its reliance on logistic drones to support front-line units, turning to a combat-tested system already in service with Ukraine. The Tactical Resupply Vehicle 150 (TRV-150), designed by the U.K.’s Malloy Aeronautics, has now reached operational use within Marine Corps logistics units following a series of training and integration milestones. […] The post U.S. Marines expand use of TRV-150 logistic drones first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

KNDS has officially rolled out the new Leopard 2A8 main battle tank and upgraded PzH 2000 howitzer for the Bundeswehr, along with the Leopard 2A8 variant for the Norwegian Armed Forces, during a presentation held on November 19 at the company’s site in Munich. The unveiling took place in the presence of German Defense Minister […]View the full article

LIG Nex1 has been selected to lead South Korea’s next-generation Cheongung-3 surface-to-air missile development project, edging out rival Hanwha in a competitive bid for what is being described as a cornerstone of the country’s future air defense strategy. According to information confirmed by the defense industry on July 28, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) […] The post LIG Nex1 to build South Korean next-gen air defense system first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Americas Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has christened the US Navy’s 14th San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock vessel, the USS Harrisburg, in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The hull was named after Pennsylvania’s capital city to honor the region’s continuous support for the US armed forces as well as its critical role in the country’s industrial history. Notable contributions by the Harrisburg were recorded throughout the Westward Migration, the American Civil War, and the Industrial Revolution. At the ceremony in Pascagoula, US Navy Ships Program Executive Officer Rear Admr. Tom Anderson provided the keynote address for the event. The first F-15E Strike Eagles equi…

Slovakia-based defense manufacturer DefTech has released a new image of its Wolf 25 AD counter-drone combat vehicle, positioning the platform as a critical solution for today’s fast-evolving air threat environment. The company said the system has already completed successful trials and is currently deployed in Ukraine, where it continues to receive positive operational feedback. In […] The post DefTech releases new image of its drone hunter vehicle first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Rightfully, over the last week there’s been a fair bit of chatter about TLAM going to Ukraine. The United States is considering Ukraine’s request to obtain long-range Tomahawk missiles for its effort to push back against Russian invaders, Vice President JD Vance said on Sunday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has asked the United States to sell Tomahawks to European nations that would send them to Ukraine. Vance said on “Fox News Sunday” that U.S. President Donald Trump would make the “final determination” on whether to allow the deal. ISW, where the above graphic came from, had a solid thread over at X on the implications, but it could use a little bit of a wet b…

A Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) F-2 fighter jet crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Ibaraki Prefecture during a training mission on 7 August. According to Japan’s Ministry of Defense, the aircraft went down approximately 150 kilometers northeast of Hyakuri Air Base. The pilot, a male first lieutenant in his 30s, successfully […] The post Japan’s F-2 jet crashes during routine training first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Asia-Pacific The US Navy has awarded Boeing Co., based in St. Louis, Missouri, a $12,943,999 firm-fixed-price delivery order (N00383-25-F-YY1F) for the repair of the leading edge flap antenna used on F/A-18 aircraft. This sole-source contract was issued under 10 U.S. Code 3204(a)(1), with Boeing as the only offeror. Work will be conducted at three locations: Mesa, Arizona (60%); Lansdale, Pennsylvania (31%); and St. Louis, Missouri (9%). The project is expected to be completed by March 2030. Funding from Navy working capital funds was fully obligated at the time of award and will remain available beyond the current fiscal year. The Naval Supply Systems Command Weapon Syst…

Americas Technology company Shield AI has conducted a “groundbreaking” demonstration of coordinated autonomous flight on two Kratos MQM-178 Firejets. The planes were flown by the company’s Hivemind artificial intelligence pilots, collaborating to execute coordinated maneuvers under realistic combat scenarios. All computing was executed on board, and communication “seamlessly integrated” on board the aircraft, the San Diego-based firm said. The US Army has awarded Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) a $93.5-million contract to lead systems integration for the High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System (HADES) program. The deal supports the service’s efforts to employ a n…

Americas Lockheed Martin has received the first shipment of PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement (PAC-3 MSE) launch tubes manufactured by Polish firm WZL-1. Launch tubes serve as the main structural housing for PAC-3 MSE missiles, forming the connection between the missile and the launcher system. The delivery is part of Lockheed Martin’s partnerships program with key Polish government defense companies to develop and manufacture components of the PAC-3 missile. The launch tubes will be used in PAC-3 MSE deliveries worldwide. Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works and Spanish firm Arquimea have just dropped a major upgrade in tactical ISR — an AI-driven anomaly detection system desig…

Yes, September is Australian Appreciation Month on the Midrats Podcast. Building on our discussion earlier this month with Liz Buchanan, we are returning to the perspective from the Antipodes with returning guest, Gray Connolly. From Afghanistan, to the Antarctic, we’ll have a broad-reaching discussion of allied national security concerns from the Australian perspective. You can listen at this link, or via Spotify widget below. Gray Connolly served as a Naval Intelligence officer in the Royal Australian Navy. He graduated from the Royal Australian Naval College and holds the King’s Commission. Gray is a graduate in Arts (Honours - History) from the University of Sydney a…

Roshel Smart Armored Vehicles and Swedish steel producer Swebor have announced a new partnership to manufacture ballistic-grade steel in Canada, marking the first facility of its kind in the country. Maria Tkacheva, Chief Operating Officer at Roshel Smart Armored Vehicles, said in a statement: “Roshel and Sweden’s Swebor have signed a strategic partnership to establish […] The post Roshel, Swebor to build Canada’s first ballistic steel plant first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article

Two German defense technology companies, STARK and Quantum Systems, have demonstrated a new integrated reconnaissance-strike capability in Ukraine, combining the VECTOR intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drone with the VIRTUS precision strike system. According to the companies, the concept allows operators to move from target identification to destruction within minutes, bridging the gap between surveillance […] The post German tech firms show drone-strike integration in Ukraine first appeared on Defence Blog.View the full article